Rose Refuses to Believe
by Luiz4200
Summary: AU When the American Dragon told the Huntsgirl he's Jake Long, she didn't believe. Plot inspired by Hezpeller's Of Sacrifices and Lies
1. Reporting to the Huntsmaster

**Disclaimer: I don't own American Dragon: Jake Long or any character from the series.**

**Author's note: This fic is dedicated to Hezpeller, who wrote the first ADJL fanfic where I found a Rose who didn't believe when Jake told her he's the American Dragon. She thought the American Dragon was 'pretending' to be Jake to keep her from slaying him during the Grand Equinox Hunt. Before reading that fic, I never considered that possibility. That fic inspired me to write my own story based on that scenario. The basic difference between the two fics is on how the Huntsmaster reacts when Rose tells him about the dragon's 'ruse'.**

**Rose Refuses to Believe**

**Reporting to the Huntsmaster**

**Rose's P.O.V.**

Curse you, American Dragon. Not only you found out who I am, but you also had the nerve to pretend to be the boy I love. Once I report to the Huntsmaster he'll not only scold me for letting my feelings get on the way but will also say I should have slain you even if I believed your lie. Well, time to face the music.

"Huntsgirl, why didn't you slay the dragon?" He asked/yelled as I feared and expected.

"That dragon took advantage of my feelings for a certain boy at my school and used his shapeshifting powers to pretend to be him." I explained and then noticed this got him thinking. "I was too disturbed by this to react accordingly." I then bowed to him. "My sincerest apologies, Master."

"YOU FOOL!" He angrily replied. "You let him escape despite not believing he's who he claimed to be! And it wouldn't be an excuse even if you believed!"

I refused to stand up without my master's say so. "Please, master. Give me another chance!"

"By what you told me, I take it that the American Dragon knows your identity." I nodded in confirmation. "That's it! Huntsgirl, I'm sending you back to the Academy."

"NO!" I pleaded. "I'll not let that despicable dragon distract me with that trick again!"

"It's not only about this, Huntsgirl." He explained. "You must abandon your life as a schoolgirl since the enemy found out your identity. In fact, the both of us must abandon our penthouse as well. But first, tell me the name of the boy the American Dragon pretended to be."

"What? Master, what could you possibly want with this?" I asked out of pure surprise.

"We must investigate for the possibility the beast didn't lie." He said as if it was the most obvious thing on the world.

"You can't be serious!" I pleaded, not wanting to get Jake more involved in my dangerous life than the American Dragon already got. He already seemed to be afraid of me even not knowing about it.

"Can't I?" He replied with a malicious smile, not that most people would be able to notice with that dragon skull on. "We had already established that 'Jaren MacArthur' who showed up at that school was the American Dragon in disguise. You suspected the American Dragon was stalking you during that ski trip where you were hunting for that Yeti. With these facts on mind, we can't rule out the possibility that the American Dragon also attends Millard Fillmore Middle School, even if not as the boy whose shape he assumed during your failed hunt."

"Master, I know that boy." I pleaded. "He's too nice to be a monster."

"It's a façade like the one we put to live among humans who don't know the disgusting magical creatures are real." He replied.

"I don't want to get him involved into this, Master."

"If you refuse, I'll take this for an admission of treason." He threatened. "You know the penalty for treason, don't you?"

"Death, Master."

"So, what will you decide, Huntsgirl?"

**Please review. What did you think of my explanation about how the Huntsmaster arrived at the conclusion the American Dragon attends the same school the Huntsgirl does?**


	2. Seeing Jake Again

**Seeing Jake Again**

**Rose's P.O.V.**

I can't believe I evaded all those slayers. Looking in retrospect, I should have told about Jake and let the Huntsmaster dismiss the idea and focus on the other students since he's already so adamant with the idea of one of them being a dragon. Then I could be there to slay the dragon instead of hiding at Central Park. At least I got a nice surprise here: Jake and his friends appearing with their skateboards.

"Don't you feel better, Jake?" Trixie asked.

"Yeah! But I still miss Rose." This comment made me glad Jake still loves me but sad for him.

"Jake, you should be glad the Huntsgirl is gone. She's bad news." Trixie now made me mad. How dare she… wait, did she call me 'Huntsgirl'? Does she know?

"Yeah, bro." Spud added. "If Rose were around she's slay you and use your pelt for whatever slayers use dragon pelt for."

Do they believe Jake is a dragon? No! The dragon must be tricking them. They don't know about their shapeshifting powers so they're easier to trick. Could Jake have been tricked as well? Or worse, killed?

"I agree with Spud." Trixie said. "Rose is a cold-hearted murderer like the other dragonslayers. As soon as she realizes you weren't lying she and the others will slay you and your whole family."

I never thought I'd see my life described like this. I know the Huntsmaster warned me humans not raised in the Huntsclan could not understand the importance of our cause but being called a murderer? Don't they understand dragons aren't people? I'll show them. But first I must see if Jake's family is okay.

I first went to his Grandfather's shop, where I got two surprises: first, I realized it's the shop which roof the Huntsmaster and I fought the American Dragon and his dragon master during my early days on field; second, I saw the older dragon's human form and that stupid dog entering through the shop's back door like they owned the place. Using one of my hairpins, I entered the shop.

"Fu, I'm worried about Jake. He was too irresponsible by revealing his identity to Rose. I'm glad she didn't believe."

"And now she left school, she'll never find out, old man. We're free."

"I feel it's too soon to celebrate, Fu."

Desperate for any evidence Jake Long is not a dragon, I went to the Hall of Records. There, I found out Canal Street Electronics is on the name of a Lao Shi Luong or Luong Lao Shi back in China. Researching further, I found out he's indeed the American Dragon's dragon master. Checking upon personal records, I found out he has a daughter named Susan Luong, who was renamed Susan (I hesitated before reading) LONG upon her marriage to a Jonathan Long. Both of them registered as parents of (sigh) Jacob Luke Long and Haley Kay Long. There's no more denying. Jake Long _is_ the American Dragon.

**That night – at Jake's home – Nobody's P.O.V.**

"Jake, I agree with your friends." Susan said. "You should be glad the Huntsgirl left. And to think I had my son attending the same school that murderer. You're lucky she didn't believe otherwise she'd have slain you and clued the Huntsclan to the rest of our family."

"Mom, the mere fact Rose didn't slay me on the simple chance I was, well, me, means she's not so evil." Jake replied.

"Jacob Luke Long!" A shocked Susan Long replied. "She's obviously tricking you. If that murderer ever returns into our lives, I'll have the Dragon Council on her as soon as possible."

"Honestly, I don't think we'll ever get any news from her so soon, Mom."

"I hope so, Jake."

Later, at the dream realm, Rose crossed Jake's door. There, she saw Jake's latest conversation with his mother and got shocked dragons see the Huntsclan as the evil ones. She then decided to talk to her beloved one. "Jake!"

"Rose?" A shocked Jake asked. "Are you real? Or is it just a dream?"

"Of course this is a dream, Jake, but why would it mean I'm not real?" Rose replied, showing him her dream charm.

"Uh, what's this, Rose?"

"A dream charm, Jake." Rose answered. "They allow their users to visit the dream realm and the dreams of other people and this is how I'm here. I thought all dragons knew that. I guess this is just another thing I was wrong about dragons. In fact, I'm not even sure of what to believe and what not to believe about magical creatures. Until I am, I'll stay away for a long while. Oh, and that Jaren MacArthur fiasco and the fact you found me at the ski trip had already made the Huntsmaster suspect the American Dragon is a student of Millard Fillmore Middle School so, beware." She then had an afterthought. "And goodbye, Jake."

"Wait. How will I know it's real once I wake up?"

She then handed him a note. "It'll be with you when you wake up."

When Jake woke up, Rose was proven right when he noticed her note. After reading it, he saw it was pretty much the same she had already told him in the dream. Not wanting another lecture from his mother, Jake didn't tell her anything and went straight to Lao Shi for advice.

"This is quite serious, young one." The old dragon said. "You must keep an open eye for any new face that shows up at your school. You never know who the Huntsclan might send."

**LINE BREAK – Sigmund Brock's home**

"Mr. Brock, we believe one of the students at Millard Fillmore Middle School is a dragon." Sigmund Brock's sponsor said.

"That school where my former protégé Hans Rotwood teaches Mythology?" Brock asked.

"I wouldn't call what he does 'teaching'." The sponsor replied. "The man can't tell the difference between a fairy and a wood nymph."

"That's why I gave him the dunce cap so many times." Brock said. "Are you sure about the dragon?"

"Yes. Is the Brockium ready?"

"Not yet, Sir."

"You'd better have a sample by the time you get a chance to get a job at that school."

**Please review. I like to know what my readers think of the fics I write. Sorry if you think I made Rose see the truth too fast.**


	3. The Huntsmaster Figures Out

**Author's Note: For a change, this chapter won't be on Rose's P.O.V.**

**Author's Note 2: I hope you don't mind the time skip.**

**The Huntsmaster Figures Out**

From the safety of his lair, the Huntsmaster and his two jesters, Huntsboy 88 and Huntsboy 89, were watching Principal Sigmund Brock's nation-wide unveiling of the dragon that attends Millard Fillmore Middle School. Brock showed them a cage with three students, one of them being a girl. While one of the boys has a hairstyle that fits the American Dragon, the Huntsmaster doesn't know enough about dragons to be sure the dragon keeps it on his human form. Brock then poured his batch of Brockium into the other boy, who didn't turn into a dragon. Despite the fact Brock is taken away discredited, the Huntsmaster decided to check upon the other caged boy, he ordered his jesters to investigate.

One day later, they brought Jake's school file. Upon reading the name 'Jonathan Long' as Jake's father, the Huntsmaster got an angry face that scared 88 and 89 more than a dragon's presence usually does. Still furious, he teleported himself and Buffoons, er, Huntsboys 88 and 89 to Millard Fillmore Middle School. Upon seeing the Huntsmaster, everybody else except for 88, 89, Jake, Trixie and Spud (the last three of them because they're still locked inside Sigmund Brock's cage) ran away. "The American Dragon, how I berate myself for not suspecting before that you're the son of Jonathan Long despite all that happened in 1986. Did you like using the Uchrono Hourglass to visit your family back then?"

More than ever, Jake Long found himself wishing Rose had slain him back at the Grand Equinox Hunt. He felt like he deserved it for leading the Huntspunk to his family. "Now turn into your hideous dragon form! I won't be able to use your pelt if you die on your human form."

"Forget it, Huntspunk!" Jake replied. "You're no match for the AmDrag!"

"You're too cocky for a caged prey." The Humtsmaster commented.

"Then why don't you let him go?" They heard a familiar voice ask and then saw Rose pointing her Huntstaff at the Huntsmaster.

"So, you let your feelings for a boy blind you to your destiny, Huntsgirl?"

"I'm no longer the Huntsgirl. I'm Rose now." Unbeknownst to her, a couple of journalists was watching her.

"Is that _our_ Rose?" The woman asked her male colleague.

"There can't be another girl who looks like Lily, can there?" He asked in reply.

"Before I slay the American Dragon, I'll kill you for treason, Huntsgirl!" The Huntsmaster said and then fired his Huntstaff at Rose, who evaded it with an ease that impressed both journalists. The Huntsmaster kept firing at Rose, who kept dodging every time.

"Go, Rose!" Jake shouted.

"Jakey, I wouldn't be so sure she's not going to slay you after fighting her master." Trixie replied.

Remembering about the caged dragon, the Huntsmaster shouted, "Huntsgirl, look!" He then fired at the caged Jake Long. Not wanting her beloved one to be hurt, she jumped in front of the beam to take it for Jake. The Huntsmaster started to walk towards the unconscious Rose until the journalists stepped in front of him. "You won't harm our daughter anymore!" They said. Jake and his friends got shocked with this.

"She brought it to herself for betraying the Huntsclan!" He replied. "Now get out of my way or die!"

"If you want to get our daughter, you'll have to get through us!" The woman said.

"So be it." The Huntsmaster said and then readied his Huntstaff when he heard Officer Morton shout, "Drop your weapon and put your hands above your head!"

He complied with the demand. "Are you this girl's parents?" Officer Morton asked the journalists.

"Yes." Rose's father answered and then pointed to the Huntsmaster. "This man abducted her when she was a newborn."

"Is she okay?" Rose's mother asked. Then they noticed Rose starting to move.

After the Huntsmaster was taken by the cops and Jake, Trixie and Spud were taken out of Brock's cage, Rose completely woke up. "Are you alright, Rose?" Jake asked.

"I'm fine." She answered. "But I had a strange dream where those people…" She said pointing at the journalists. "…said they were my parents and the Huntsmaster took me away from them."

"A dream?" Spud asked, confused as usual. "But it sounded so real."

"That's because it _was_ real, Spudinski!" An annoyed Trixie explained.

"The Huntsmaster said my parents died when I was little." A shocked Rose said. "How do you know it's me?"

"You look like your twin." Her mother explained.

"Will you introduce your friends, Rose?" Her father asked.

"This is my boyfriend Jake Long, presuming he still wants to be my boyfriend."

"I do."

"Jake, you're too young to get married."

"Shut up, Spudinski." Trixie replied.

"And these are his best friends, Trixie and Spud." Rose added.

**LINE BREAK – Canal Street Electronics**

"Are you sure Rose's parents don't know about us, young dragon?" Lao Shi asked.

"Absolutely, G." Jake calmly answered. "We didn't expose anything and I'm sure Rose didn't tell anything."

"If Rose really didn't tell anything she can be trusted, young one." Lao Shi said.

Jake's cell phone then rang. "Rose?"

"Jake, how are you?"

"Fine. And you?"

"My parents took me in and I've just met my sister. May I meet you at your grandfather's shop tomorrow afternoon?"

"We can meet at school, Rose." Jake suggested.

"We can't. Because my parents don't live at the same school district you do, I'll be transferred to the middle school my sister attends." She explained.

"Well, I guess it's better than we having to fight each other."

"It's a date, then."

**LINE BREAK – Jake's home**

When Jake told his mother about Rose, he expected, or at least wanted, a better reaction.

"Jake, Rose is a cold-blooded murderer." Mrs. Long said. "I'll tell your Grandfather to keep her away from you."

"He already knows, Mom." Jake replied. "He trusts her. Now, if you excuse me, I need to sleep."

After Jake went to his bedroom, Susan Long silently told herself, _'Jake, even if you never thank me for this, I'll make sure that murderer stays away from you'._

**Please review. Sorry if it seemed like I rushed things.**


	4. Judgment

**Judgment**

At Canal Street Electronics, Jake, Trixie, Spud, Fu and Lao Shi were wondering what to do about Rose. "Jakey, the Huntsgirl knows your secret." Trixie said with worry. "And her parents are journalists."

"We don't have to worry about them, guys." Spud calmly replied. "Once I amaze them with my ability to put my tongue inside my nose, they'll completely forget all that dragon stuff." He then tried to do the proposed trick.

"Spudinski, I'm not sure it's a good idea." Trixie said with mild disgust.

"You're right!" Spud exclaimed. "I should show them how I eat macaroni through my nose."

"Yuck!" Both Trixie and Jake said.

"Young one, I appreciate your good intentions, but we'll find another way." Lao Shi said. Then they heard the front door opening. Checking it out, they saw Rose and her family.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhggghhhhh!" Spud yelled. "Two Huntsgirls!"

"No, Spud." Rose calmly replied. "This is my twin sister Lily. Lily, these are my boyfriend Jake Long and his best friends Trixie and Spud. I still haven't been properly introduced to the man over there but I believe he's Jake's grandfather, who owns this shop."

"You're correct, young one." Lao Shi replied with a calm tone. "My name is Luong Lao Shi, or Lao Shi Luong since that we're in a country where the family name is placed last instead of first."

"Nice to meet you." Said Rose's father. "My name is Jack Smith and this is my wife Lucy."

"Jake, do you mind dating someone who spent a good deal of live on wild goose hunts?" Rose's mother asked out of concern for her daughter.

"Goose hunts?" A confused Spud asked. "I thought she only hunted magical…"

"Shut up, Spud." Trixie replied.

"Nah, I'm okay." Jake answered.

"After all, it's not like those creatures really existed." Said Rose's Dad, making Jake understand that talk about 'wild goose hunt'. Rose's parents don't know dragons are real.

"Actually they do." Said Councillor Andam as he and Councillor Kulde entered the shop.

"What brings you to my shop, gentlemen?" Lao Shi asked.

"We felt it no longer useful to hide the truth from the Huntsgirl's family." Councillor Kulde replied.

"Which truth?" Mr. Smith asked.

"Is there a place where we can speak in private, Lao Shi?" Councillor Andam asked.

**LINE BREAK – Lao Shi's office**

As Andam and Kulde turned their hands into claws, Rose's family got shocked. "So, is our Rose dating a dragon despite having been raised to hate dragons?" Mrs. Smith asked, still shocked.

"It surprises us as well." Councillor Andam replied. "And this is why we're here. She's a slayer who, among other crimes against the Magical World, has attempted to slay the American Dragon several times. Unless a dragon vouches for her, we cannot allow her to walk free."

"I'll vouch for her." Jake offered.

"The vouching must come from a full-fledged dragon." Councillor Kulde replied.

"I'll vouch." Lao Shi said.

The two councilors frowned at this. "Lao Shi, do you understand the consequences of this action?" Councillor Andam asked.

"Yes, Councillors." Lao Shi solemnly answered.

"In that case, all that I want from you is a promise you'll not reveal the existence of magical creatures." Councillor Kulde requested.

"Okay." Rose's Dad replied. "We're true journalists and true journalists care about the consequences of publishing certain things."

"We appreciate it." Councillor Andam said. "We honestly expected some difficulties with the call from the American Dragon's mother."

**LINE BREAK – the Long Household**

A sickly happy Jake Long entered his home. "Jake, are you okay?" His mother asked.

"Not thanks to you but yes." Jake answered.

"Didn't the Dragon Council take the Huntsgirl away?" Susan asked, afraid for her family's safety.

"They would but Gramps vouched for her."

"IS HE INSANE? HOW DARE HE RISK IT ALL FOR THAT MURDERER? DOESN'T HE KNOW HE'LL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING SHE DOES WHILE AT LARGE?"

That got Jake worried. He didn't think about the risk a dragon would take by vouching for a slayer. "Well, Rose loves me."

"Jake, even if those monsters could love, which I'm not saying they can, she won't necessarily love you to the point of NOT slaying other dragons." Susan said. "Chang might have been a spy doing the Dark Dragon's bidding but she was right about you being irresponsible."

"I don't have to stay here hearing this." Jake angrily went to his bedroom.

**LINE BREAK – The Dream Realm**

"Jake, what's wrong?" Rose asked, noticing Jake's sadness.

"Rose, you remember what the Councillors said about my Mom, right?" Jake sadly asked.

"Yes." Rose answered, having a fairly good idea of where this conversation would lead to.

"She's afraid of you." Jake explained. "She doesn't believe slayers can love and, even if she did, she wouldn't believe you'd love me to the point of not slaying other dragons."

"It's okay, Jake." Rose calmly replied. "What matters is what _we_ feel. I love you and betrayed the Huntsclan for you. If they ever find me I'm dead."

"Rose, I love you and I'm sure you no longer hate dragons." Jake said.

"There you are." Rose said, comforting her boyfriend. "Any plans for our next date outside the Dream Realm, dragon boy?"

"I was thinking at taking you to the Magus Bazaar, my adorable hunter." Jake replied with a sweet voice.

"Won't you get into trouble for letting a slayer inside a magical creature refuge?" Rose asked, genuinely worried.

"I'll be there to reassure them you won't hurt them, Rose." Jake said with his usual cockiness.

"Some of the senior dragonslayers I've met said some of their prey fell victims of their own cockiness." Rose said.

"Well, they haven't met the AmDrag." Jake replied. "What do you say, Rose? Date or no date?"

"It's a date."

**LINE BREAK – Jake's home – the bathroom**

"Jake, why are you putting on this perfume?" Haley asked.

"Rose and I are going out on a date." Jake answered.

Before Haley had the chance to start another anti-Rose speech, Jonathan Long appeared. "Really, Jakers? Then I think it's time for 'The Talk'!"

Jake was now torn between being glad Haley won't start badmouthing Rose or annoyed at the idea of having 'The Talk'.

**Please review.**


	5. Date at Magus Bazaar

**Date at Magus Bazaar**

Jake and Rose were at the subway when it was announced they're arriving at the last stop. While most of the passengers stood up and left, Jake prevented himself and Rose from doing the same. "Jake, this is the last stop." She said.

"The last stop for people who don't know magical creatures are real, Rose." Jake corrected his girlfriend. She then became surprised at the same level Jake once did when she saw through the magical disguises. What they didn't know was that Fu Dog, on Susan's request, was spying on them. "Enjoying the view, Rose?" He asked.

"Not as much as I'm enjoying my companionship, dragon boy." Rose answered with a smile.

'_The kids make such a nice couple.'_ Fu thought to himself. _'I feel bad spying on them. Why? Why is the old man's daughter such a good payer?'_

Fu's thoughts were interrupted by a magical thug who grabbed him. "Where's the money, Fu?" Fu then gave him the money Susan Long gave him to spy on her son's date. "Good." Fu is then left alone.

"Jake, aren't those your cousins?" Rose asked, pointing at Sara and Kara.

"Oh, they aren't my cousins." Jake explained. "They were oracles I had to protect because a goblin wanted to use them to predict the results of the Ogre Bowl games and then bet on them. The cousin thing was just a cover up."

"Hi, Jake. Hi, Rose." Sara said upon seeing them. "Hi." A less than enthusiastic Kara added.

"Hi, girls." Jake waved. "Any new predictions?"

Kara's eyes then started to glow. "Congratulations, you'll be crowned Homecoming King." She said with her bored tone.

Then it was Sara's turn. "You'll find out another attempt from your mother to keep you and Rose apart. Isn't it wonderful?" She happily asked while clapping.

Jake then noticed Rose's confusion. "Kara only predicts good news and Sara only predicts bad news."

"Then why is Kara so grumpy and is Sara so happy?" Rose asked.

"One who predicts only bad stuff all the time gets happy with any kind of good news and one who only predicts good stuff never has nice surprises." Jake explained. "Wanna some ice cream, Rose?" He asked, wanting to get away from the twins. He then took her to The Scoop.

"Jake, this is the best ice cream I ever tasted!" Rose commented. What they didn't notice was that, as the other customers sitting at the counter noticed who Rose is, they started to leave out of fear she'll slay them. Rose and Jake then heard a familiar voice.

"As I was saying, my dear, I am the American Dragon's animal guardian." Fu told a poodle who was having a milkshake with him. "In fact, his Mom had just paid me some money to have me spying on his date. She doesn't trust Jake's girlfriend."

"Doesn't she, Fu?" Rose asked with a forced smile.

"Aw, man." Fu Dog stole Jake's line.

"Sorry about that, Rose." Jake sheepishly said.

"It's okay, Jake." Rose replied with a serious face. "I'm ready to accept other dragons won't trust me. Your family just wants you to be safe."

"Kids, since you seem to be so understanding, do you mind not telling Susan you found out?" Fu asked. "I can't return the money."

Reluctantly, they nodded and then they went through other parts of Magus Bazaar. As Rose noticed Veronica, she got insecure. "May I help you?" Veronica asked as Rose stared long enough for Veronica to think she was looking at the items for sale.

Before Rose came up with an excuse, Jake decided to introduce the girls to each other. "Veronica, this is my girlfriend Rose. Rose, this is Veronica, a friend of Fu's."

"Congratulations, Rose." Veronica said. "I'd try my chances with Jake but he seems to prefer humans and people who can pose as humans."

"What keeps you from doing so?" A confused Rose asked. Veronica then showed the lower half of her body. Rose was at the same time disgusted by the sight and relieved Jake felt the same.

"Jake, what's wrong?" Rose asked, noticing her boyfriend's uneasiness.

"It's my Mom. I don't know what I can do to make her trust you." Jake explained.

"What about your father?" Rose asked. "How does he feel about me?"

"He doesn't even know I'm a dragon or that magical creatures are real." Jake explained and then had a thought. "Rose, we could have dinner at my house and use my Dad to keep Mom from doing anything rash. Then she and Haley will know you really love me."

"Who's Haley?"

"Oh, she's my little sister." Jake explained. "She's already starting to develop dragon powers but she's still not on field."

"What do you say, Rose?"

"I'll talk to my parents first, Jake."

**Please review.**


	6. Dinner at the Longs

**Dinner at the Longs**

"Well, Jakers, if her parents make no objection, I see no problem with Rose coming to dinner with us." Jonathan replied to Jake's request.

"Jonathan!" Susan exclaimed upon hearing the conversation. "We can't let that… girl anywhere near our children! She's dangerous!"

"Susan, what's your problem with Rose?" A confused Jonathan asked.

"Jonathan, that girl has troubles with her upbringing." Susan explained the most truthful way possible without exposing her side of the family as dragons.

"Susan, I'm aware of the fact she just found out her so-called family wasn't her real family after all." Jonathan replied with a serious tone. "That's just another reason why we should meet her to know if it's safe or not to let our Jakers around her."

"It's obvious she's just waiting for a chance to slay him."

"Why would she do so? Is our son a dragon? Is your side of the family made of dragons like in that dream I had back in 1986?"

"Uh, never mind."

**LINE BREAK – Canal Street Electronics**

"Fu, you must make a truth serum." Susan pleaded. "It's the only way to make Jake understand Rose is still the evil and murderous dragonslayer she had been raised to be."

"Susan, if those potions were so easy to make, your Dad would have already made Rose try a batch." Fu replied, annoyed by Susan's obsessive mistrust of Rose. (At least whenever she isn't paying him to help her)

"What about a magic mirror like that one Snow White's stepmother used to ask who the world's fairest one is?" Haley suggested.

"What became of her is the reason the use of those mirrors is controlled." Fu replied. "Those things are cursed to make their users give in to their obsessions."

"I don't care!" Susan replied. "Get me one and I'll ask what that murderer is up to."

"You'd need an authorization from the Dragon Council." Fu explained. "And they'd have used it themselves if they deemed it safe."

"But there must be something we could use to expose that slayer." Haley pleaded. "I want to become the next American Dragon by proving to the Dragon Council I'm a better dragon than he is, not by having him slain."

"No need to worry, Haley." Susan offered her daughter some sort of comfort. "We'll just have to keep a close watch on her."

"I can assure you Rose can be trusted, Susan." Lao Shi appeared and said.

"Dad, you changed a lot." Susan frowned at her father. "Back when Jonathan and I were dating, you were strongly opposed to it just because he was a non-magical human."

"A non-magical human with a bad taste for clothes, Susan." Lao Shi corrected.

"Those were the 1980's, Dad." Susan replied. "That couldn't be helped. And this is not the case. The case is that you don't mind Jake dating a dragon slayer. You wouldn't have allowed that back then. I bet you even investigated Jonathan for the chance he was a slayer, hoping he was so we'd split."

"I soon gave up the investigation." Lao Shi commented. "Albeit I'd have investigated more if Huntsboys like 88 and 89 were already known back then."

That night, when Rose arrived at the Long household, Rose was overwhelmed by Jonathan taking pictures of her just like Jake feared when Rose first suggested going to his place. Rose was initially surprised about the lack of hostility from Jonathan Long until she remembered he doesn't even know dragons are real. Susan and Haley were another story altogether. Their forced smiles gave Rose a feeling of uneasiness.

"Haley, will you help me with the food?" Susan asked her daughter, and the both of them went to the kitchen.

"May we put something on her food?" Haley suggested.

"Unfortunately there's not much we can do with your Dad looking, Haley." Susan answered.

"Fortunately you've arranged the chairs so Rose will sit at Dad's left so she'll not be able to reach our left ears." Haley commented.

As they went back to the living room, it seemed Haley jinxed it since Rose was seated at Jake's left. "Rose, weren't you seated at Jonathan's left?" Susan asked.

"Jake insisted so much." Jonathan replied. "I don't understand why but Rose seemed to be hesitant but Jake convinced her by explaining something about giving you a message."

"I see." Susan said, gritting her teeth.

"I like sitting next to Jake." Rose commented.

As the food was served, Haley 'accidentally' poured water on Rose's clothes. With no other choice, she put on one of Jake's sets of clothes (shorts and a shirt). Because Jake is shorter than Rose, his shirt didn't hide her bellybutton, a fact Jake mentally thanked Haley for, despite the dragon girl's intentions.

"Rose's I'm deeply sorry." Jonathan said. "My daughter isn't usually so clumsy. I'd expect that from Jake. If I were to tell whatever happened every time he tried to help his mother with her catering service." Jake was now sure there are things on this world worse than being slain.

"I'm certainly going to do a better job if I ever work on Mom's catering service." Haley commented.

"I'd not be so sure after what happened to Rose." Jake replied.

"Just a little mishap." Haley replied. _'Mom would never have me catering to murderers.'_ Haley thought to herself.

After they finished eating, Jake asked if there was anything Rose wanted to do while waiting her clothes to dry. "I want to see Thad and Jasma returning from their honeymoon."

"Mom catered to their real-life wedding." Jake commented.

"Jake almost ruined it." Haley replied. While Jake would usually hate it when his sister downplays him, he was glad she seemed to have forgotten how much she hates Rose so this teasing would be welcome.

"Really?" Rose eagerly asked. "Please tell me more."

"I don't know the details, Rose." Haley replied. "You should ask him. Or Mom."

A look at Susan's face suggested the second idea not to be a good one. She just watched the soap-opera, picked up her now-dry again clothes and went home. Fortunately she and Jake continued dating after that night.

**THE END**

**Honestly, I don't know what else I could do with this fic. I came up with the idea of including the mirror or Snow White, neither of which I own, while I was writing this chapter.**


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